Glossary of Common Terms
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking, cravings, and continued use despite harm. The social consequences of addiction include low academic achievement, troubled interpersonal relationships, unemployment or underemployment, and isolation.
Dependence occurs when a user develops a tolerance to a drug and suffers withdrawal when the drug is discontinued. The terms “addiction,” “dependence,” and “alcoholism” are interchangeable—they are all characterized by a progressive lack of control over one's drug use.
Drug means nicotine, alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and toxic substances, such as inhalants.
Substance refers to any drug, such as nicotine, alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and toxic substances, such as inhalants.
Substance Abuse is using a drug in spite of the negative legal, health, and safety consequences, and/or the inappropriateness of the drinking/ drugging experience.
Tolerance describes 1) the amount of a drug a person can ingest without feeling or showing the drug's effects (for example, the ability to drink a few beers and not get drunk) and 2) the brain's response to prolonged use of a drug in such a way that it accommodates larger amounts of the drug (over time, the user will need more of the drug to feel the same effects).
Withdrawal is the syndrome of often painful physical and psychological symptoms that occurs when a person stops taking a drug.
To learn more about addiction and substance abuse, read the book.
